Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Communications. The Productivity Commission's Telecommunications universal service obligation, report No. 83, recommends winding back Telstra's obligation to provide payphones. Payphones are a critical form of communication in regional areas. Mayo has more than 130 identified mobile phone black spots. Vast sections of Kangaroo Island and Fleurieu have no coverage. Unemployed Australians rely on payphones to communicate with Centrelink and jobactive providers. Will the minister be implementing the recommendation, and, if so, how will the government ensure regions with little or no mobile phone coverage and unemployed Australians are not worse off?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the member for her question and acknowledge her interest in the delivery of communication services to her constituents, and, of course, constituents across rural and remote Australia. Clearly, the amount of traffic over payphones has reduced consistently over the years. At the same time, what we are seeing is a greater and greater increase in the amount of traffic occurring over mobile phones, and, thanks to the work of this government under the Mobile Black Spots Program, a very significant increase in the number of mobile phone base stations around the country, and, therefore, the number of people who are able to obtain mobile coverage.

The government continues to work on its policies, in relation to regional communications, and particularly the Mobile Black Spots Program. Through this and the universal service obligation, and the other policy directions of the government, we are continuing to ensure that the best possible communication services can be provided in regional Australia.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has concluded his answer. I know the member for Mayo was about to seek a point of order.